Companion Planting: Organic Gardening for Pest Control

Companion planting is the planting of different crops in close physical proximity (in gardening and agriculture), on the theory that they assist each other in nutrient uptake, pest control, pollination, and other factors necessary to increasing crop productivity.

Herbs are best use as companion plants in a vegetable or a flower garden. A few popular herbs are the perennial chives, the invasive mint, the pine-like rosemary, and the mysterious borage. These herbs can either hinder or aid in plant growth, so take care to match herbs and plants accordingly.

As Pest Control

Planting basil among tomatoes will control tomato hornworms. The basil acts as a mask hiding the tomato plant with its odor thus confusing the pest. Tomatoes control flea beetles, cabbage maggots, white cabbage butterflies, and imported cabbageworms that prefer cabbages and cabbage family such as broccoli, brussel sprouts, etc.

This is just a short list of other herbs for controlling pests. They are thyme, catnip, onions, horseradish, radishes, petunias, and nasturtiums.

As Weed Control

Beets stifle weeds if interplanted with onions as do rye grass and clovers. Clovers is a perrenial that multiply rapidly also enriching the soil and providing shelter to earthworms, our friends to the garden. Rye grass residue is known to inhibit the growth of weeds and winter rye makes an excellent cover crop keeping the soil protected throughout the winter season.

Assist in Pollination

The flowers of parsley and broccoli attract beneficial insects such as bees. We all know how useful bees are as pollinators to crops. Wind can't always be reliable being too extreme and inaccurate verses the work of a bee's physical contact from flower to flower.

To Increase Crop Productivity

Believe or not peanuts are in the legume family as are beans. Interplant peanuts or beans with corn or squash to increase the yields of both crops. Legumes take nitrogen from the air and store them in their roots, returning nitrogen a needed nutrient, back to the soil.

Other plant and herb that assist or improve another are the following. Parsley improves vigor to asparagus and deters asparagus beetles. Radishes make lettuce tenderer if grown together. For larger carrots interplant them with chives.

Companion planting is part of gardening organically without added chemicals that might otherwise harm the soil's balance. In addition to composting and crop rotation why not incorporate companion planting as well to completely be organic. One of the rewards could just be a more fruitful harvest year after year.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_planting

http://answers.yahoo.com/question

Book: Your Organic Garden by Jeff Cox

Book: Roses Love Garlic by Louise Riotte